Shutting up of trade critic ‘unconstitutional’

THE Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) says a decision by Meatco to suspend an employee for being critical of trade negotiations with the European Union was “draconian” and a direct assault on freedom of expression.

Wallie Roux, a researcher at Meatco, was suspended because of several articles on trade issues published in the Namibian media. In the articles, Roux said Namibia needed to be cautious about the pace at which the EU wanted negotiations concluded.”If you are unwise enough to rush for a deadline without looking at the content of the agreement, then you are signing away your life,” Roux said.He expressed the view that the EU had underestimated and misjudged SADC, thinking it would be able to steamroll the region into trade agreements.He dismissed an offer by the EU to eliminate all tariffs and quotas on imports from the ACP countries from January next year, saying it had nothing to do with SADC and would not benefit the region in any way.The meat industry responded that it was confident that a new trade agreement would be in place by the end of this year to avoid losing out on Namibia’s lucrative European market.Trade Advisor to the Agricultural Forum, Jurgen Hoffmann, said they intended to “drive the negotiations to finalise them by the end of 2007” but even if they failed to hit the target, they would get the European Union to agree to use the current agreement until a new one was reached.At the moment the EU has allocated an export quota of 13 000 tons of beef a year to Namibia under the Cotonou Agreement.The agreement comes to an end in December and must be replaced by a new one.LaRRi said Roux’s suspensions was a “blatant victimisation and a violation of the right to freedom of speech”.”At no point did Mr Roux make any statements that could warrant a suspension by his employer.On the contrary, his analysis of trade negotiations and agreements is crucial for developing countries like Namibia to avoid further marginalisation.Instead of punishing Mr Roux, Meatco should commend him for the work he has done,” LaRRI said in a statement.The labour research organisation said Namibia has very few trade experts who can argue the case for developing countries and thus cannot allow the “few remaining voices to be silenced through undemocratic and dictatorial measures”.”We thus condemn the suspension of Mr Roux in the strongest possible terms and call on Meatco to allow Mr Roux to continue his work, including educating the public on the intricacies of trade negotiations.This is a vital contribution to Namibia’s development”.The organisation said all Namibians had the right to freedom of speech and Roux had to be allowed to exercise this right since he made the presentation at a LaRRI function in his personal capacity.”Meatco has certainly no right to violate Mr Roux’s constitutional rights and we believe that these rights must be defended as a matter of principle,” LaRRI said.In the articles, Roux said Namibia needed to be cautious about the pace at which the EU wanted negotiations concluded.”If you are unwise enough to rush for a deadline without looking at the content of the agreement, then you are signing away your life,” Roux said.He expressed the view that the EU had underestimated and misjudged SADC, thinking it would be able to steamroll the region into trade agreements.He dismissed an offer by the EU to eliminate all tariffs and quotas on imports from the ACP countries from January next year, saying it had nothing to do with SADC and would not benefit the region in any way.The meat industry responded that it was confident that a new trade agreement would be in place by the end of this year to avoid losing out on Namibia’s lucrative European market.Trade Advisor to the Agricultural Forum, Jurgen Hoffmann, said they intended to “drive the negotiations to finalise them by the end of 2007” but even if they failed to hit the target, they would get the European Union to agree to use the current agreement until a new one was reached. At the moment the EU has allocated an export quota of 13 000 tons of beef a year to Namibia under the Cotonou Agreement.The agreement comes to an end in December and must be replaced by a new one.LaRRi said Roux’s suspensions was a “blatant victimisation and a violation of the right to freedom of speech”.”At no point did Mr Roux make any statements that could warrant a suspension by his employer.On the contrary, his analysis of trade negotiations and agreements is crucial for developing countries like Namibia to avoid further marginalisation.Instead of punishing Mr Roux, Meatco should commend him for the work he has done,” LaRRI said in a statement.The labour research organisation said Namibia has very few trade experts who can argue the case for developing countries and thus cannot allow the “few remaining voices to be silenced through undemocratic and dictatorial measures”.”We thus condemn the suspension of Mr Roux in the strongest possible terms and call on Meatco to allow Mr Roux to continue his work, including educating the public on the intricacies of trade negotiations.This is a vital contribution to Namibia’s development”.The organisation said all Namibians had the right to freedom of speech and Roux had to be allowed to exercise this right since he made the presentation at a LaRRI function in his personal capacity.”Meatco has certainly no right to violate Mr Roux’s constitutional rights and we believe that these rights must be defended as a matter of principle,” LaRRI said.